Would you take back Cushing’s award?

For the record, the football beat writers from The Denver Post don’t vote on postseason awards, like All Pro or Rookie of the Year. So myself, Mike Klis and Jeff Legwold have no part of the current re-voting process that is underway for the 2009 NFL defensive rookie of the year award, as well as the re-balloting for All Pro honors at outside linebacker.

But if I had a vote, I likely would be changing it away from Brian Cushing.

The Texans linebacker Cushing won that defensive rookie award and was named to second-team All-Pro back in January — four months after a positive test for a substance on the NFL’s banned list (ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday the substance was HCG, a hormone that while naturally occurring in the body, is also a common masking agent in steroid cycles).

Cushing appealed, lost, and will sit out the first four games of 2010. But because his positive test came during the 2009 season, the assumption in media circles Tuesday was that Cushing had probably used some sort of steroid in the preseason.

As SI.com’s Ross Tucker (a former NFL linemen) tweeted Tuesday morning: “Plenty of PED users do it just in the offseason in order to make strength/speed gains. Then they just maintain those gains during season.”

Bottom line: Cushing broke the rules, he was caught, and he should pay.

The 50 ballots are due back to the Associated Press at lunchtime on Wednesday, and a short time later we’ll learn of Cushing retains his award or if it will be given to someone else, perhaps the Packers’ Clay Matthews or Buffalo’s Jarius Byrd.

Stripping Cushing of his award is merely symbolic, but it would prove that we can’t reward cheaters. Yes, a re-vote is a slippery slope for the media that gives these types of awards, but I think major problem across sports awards — and the media that votes on them — has been clinging too tightly to tradition and what has been done in the past, with outdated views on how to judge players despite a vastly different sports landscape.

Will this be the last time this problem arises? I’m sure it won’t be, and the rules might have to be examined again. But I’m OK with that, as long as the end result is correct.

I think he should be stripped of the ROY award. If there was any doubt, the NFLPA's statement about cheating hurting the game, seems to indicate they are not defending Cushing. If he had tested positive for a banned substance, that wasn't performance enhancing, like Marijuana, I don't think his award should be stripped. I would still be in favor of a suspension, but also allowing him to keep his award. However, assuming Adam Schefter's report is correct, and there is any strong likelihood he used performance enhancing drugs, then he should be stripped of the ROY award.

jvill

No, he should not be stripped, but there should clear rules written for the next time it happens, which Lindsey points out won't be the last time. Otherwise, how do you justify not stripping Merriman and Julius Peppers as well? Is there a statute of limitations? No idea. Disclosure rules? No idea. Essentially, this will turn into a lynch mob all because Cushing is the flavor of the month.How do we know? Because of this: “But I’m OK with that, as long as the end result is correct.”The ends justifying the means is the classic rationale used by everyone from abusive high school coaches to totalitarian dictators. It certainly shouldn't be used to justify the enforcement of new rules for Cushing that clearly didn't apply to players before him. Maybe if Cushing was a Top 10 pick he wouldn't have to return his awards after failing tests just like those other guys… Lastly, if awards can be stripped like this, why can't teams contest 2009 losses against the Texans since, as sports writers are saying, Cushing (and therefore the Texans) cheated?

Mike Klis has been with The Denver Post since 1998, after working 13 years with the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph. Major League Baseball was Klis' initial passion. He started covering the Colorado Rockies after Coors Field was approved for construction in August 1990.

Nicki Jhabvala is the Sports Digital News Editor for The Denver Post. Before arriving in Denver, she spent five years at Sports Illustrated working primarily as its online NBA editor, and she was most recently the overnight home page editor at the New York Times. She has reported regularly on the Broncos since joining the staff.

A published author and award-winning journalist, Benjamin Hochman is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. He previously worked on the staff of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, winners of two Pulitzer Prizes for their Hurricane Katrina coverage.